Jesus not only weeps but dies for us
Prayer-
Introduction- This morning we gather on Palm Sunday.
This is the last Sunday before we celebrate resurrection Sunday and the victory achieved by Jesus over the grave and death.
Palm Sunday is treated like a foot note to the resurrection as Jesus came triumphantly into the city of Jerusalem.
We see in scripture that Jesus had prepared for this day throughout the years of ministry that He spent on this earth.
He had told them who he was and what He was sent to do by His heavenly Father.
He healed people, He showed compassion.
He spoke as one that was in authority of the Word of God and had an anointing that drew people to Himself and they sensed that He was someone special.
The problem was they thought he was the one who was going to save them from Roman bondage and thought he was the leader that would start a revolt to bring change.
He was special but they had no idea of how special He was and what His true job was for mankind.
We see him weeping over Jerusalem as he takes that monumental road to begin his journey to the cross.
We almost want to create two scenarios – one where Jesus went to the cross and one where Jesus was resurrected from the dead. It is a package deal because both have to take place for us to receive the redemption for our sins. We forget just how much that redemption has cost Jesus and what a great free gift it is to us.
We see Jesus in Luke 19 prepare to have his donkey ready for his ride into Jerusalem and we see a crowd of people anxiously waiting for his arrival and when he does come into the city they put out the red carpet and hail him as a king – Hosanna… Hosanna – God save us! God save us.
We see that they had no idea why Jesus was really coming, it was not to be the power and strength they thought they needed against the Romans but that he was coming to redeem their broke n and dead soul that needed not a leader of an army but a savior that would and could save them from their sins.
I want you to see the weeping Jesus coming into Jerusalem but I also want you to see the sacrificial Jesus who was going to complete his task as savior. We forget about the week that was ahead of him what we call holy week. It was not compassion and love for Jesus shown by the Romans, but it is compassion and love shown by Jesus for each and everyone of us. We forget his betrayal by those that only a few days earlier were saying God save us and then yelling with intense hatred crucify him… crucify him.
I am going to be bouncing around some scripture so stay with me… Luke 19:41- “As they approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it, and said, if you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace- but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
Jesus had been identified as the Son of David- that is why as he approached some were saying Son of David have mercy on us. David’s relationship with Jerusalem was a kingly authority. In the past Jerusalem was judged for what? Not listening to the prophets, not seeing that a savior was coming, rejecting the Son of God.
Jesus looks at the city of Jerusalem and weeps because they put their trust in the Son of David and would reject the Son of God coming. As a reader, we see no hope in what they put their faith in and they were rejecting the only hope that could save them.
He says as he comes into the city- “if you had only known on this day what would bring you peace- but now it is hidden from your eyes.”
How many people are looking for Jesus to bail them out and miss who Jesus is? He came to be Lord of our lives. It is hidden from them because they do not know Him. The week as Jesus moves to the cross cannot be forgotten or made minor in the big picture of redemption.
Jesus first act going into the city was to go to the Temple and begin driving out the money changers. He says that judgment will begin in the house of God and that the temple is to be a place of prayer. Then he teaches in the same temple- he predicts his own death. “The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chef priests, and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Luke 20
He runs into opposition of the priest and teachers… “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things… who gave you this authority”?
When he said my heavenly Father they hated him! It made him the Son of God and it took their authority away from them and put it back where it belonged with Jesus.
Jesus said that He must suffer and they said He must die!
Tuesday Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives with his disciples, he passes a fig tree and Jesus shows them the importance of having faith.
While the religious leaders are plotting to kill him, Judas one of his disciples speaks and is given money to set him up. He is the one who betrays Jesus and gives him up. Jesus knew who would give him up. He knew what was happening and what needed to happen. He knew because it was his plan to get to the cross and they were the means for him to get there.
Satan did everything he knew to stop Jesus and used people to accomplish it. He had no idea what the cross would mean. He thought it was the death of Jesus.
Blind guides! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness...Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?" (Matthew 23:24-33)
The Bible doesn't say what the Lord did on the Wednesday of Passion Week. Scholars speculate that after two exhausting days in Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of Passover.
Just a short time previously, Jesus had revealed to the disciples, and the world, that he had power over death by raising Lazarus from the grave.
After seeing this incredible miracle, many people in Bethany believed that Jesus was the Son of God and put their faith in him.
Also in Bethany just a few nights earlier, Lazarus' sister Mary had lovingly anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume.
Holy Week takes a somber turn on Thursday.
From Bethany, Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to make the preparations for the Passover Feast. That evening after sunset, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as they prepared to share in the Passover. By performing this humble act of service, Jesus demonstrated by example how believers should love one another. Today, many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies as a part of Maundy Thursday services.
Then, Jesus shared the feast of Passover with his disciples, saying:
"I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal (The Last Supper) with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." (Luke 22:15-16, NLT)
As the Lamb of God, Jesus was about to fulfill the meaning of Passover by giving his body to be broken and his blood to be shed in sacrifice, freeing us from sin and death. During this Last Supper, Jesus established the Lord's Supper, or Communion, instructing his followers to continually remember his sacrifice by sharing in the elements of bread and wine (Luke 22:19-20).
Later, Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony to God the Father.
Luke's Gospel says that "his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44, ESV).
Later that evening in Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin. He was taken to the home of Caiaphas, the High Priest, where the whole council had gathered to begin making their case against Jesus.
Meanwhile, in the early morning hours, as Jesus' trial was getting underway, Peter denied knowing his Master three times before the rooster crowed.(We know that Story)
Thursday's events are recorded in all the gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Good Friday is the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to his death.
According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hung himself early Friday morning.
Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. After multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment known at the time.
Before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on him, tormented and mocked him, and pierced him with a crown of thorns.
Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where, again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross.
Jesus spoke seven final statements from the cross. His first words were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34, NIV). His last words were, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46, NIV)
Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last breath and died.
Can we just take a breath and let that set in a minute? Jesus did all that for you and I the Son of God became the Son of man and paid the ultimate death for anyone- to die for them.
You may be saying how does that affect me? Just like sin came into the world by one- Adam, Jesus has set the world free from their sins by his death on the cross.
The world is born into sin because of Adam and Eve but the world has been redeemed by the sinless Son of God coming to pay the price for a sinful mankind.
Before Jesus Animal sacrifice was a means of forgiveness- it was a covering of sin by the shedding of blood. There had to be blood shed and it had to be a animal without blemish and had to be done by a priest once a year in the Holy of Holies in the temple and it was not done properly, the priest would die and your sons would not be forgiven.
Jesus being the sinless perfect sacrifice not only covered our sins but totally paid the price of our sins and by His shedding of blood has provided a way of salvation for every person in the world.
The only thing is that they have to believe that He is the sacrifice for their sins. We have to acknowledge Him as Lord and savior. We have to begin serving our Lord. There has to be a transformation and a change.
Close
Every single one of us is in need of a savior- there are no exceptions- Jesus says that” He came for sinners” to be saved. We have to admit and surrender to the Lord who came to forgive us of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
In ourselves, the Bible says we are as filthy rags. We cannot separate the cross from the resurrection- without the cross and death of Christ there is no resurrection. He had to go to the cross first to be resurrected. No death no resurrection- no resurrection no forgiveness of sins. It is a game changer- next week we will look at the empty tomb- we cannot forget the sacrifice made for us on the cross- it is there we recognize the need for a saving Lord.
I could not close without asking if there would be someone this morning that would want to say to the Lord that I am a sinner and in need of your salvation. I believe that you died on that cross for me and that on the third day you were resurrected and because you were resurrected I will be resurrected and I accept you as Lord and savior of my life and from this day forward I will serve you as Lord. In Jesus Name Amen. If you said that prayer, let me know and I want to get along side of you as you journey with the Lord.
